Cinco de Mayo isn’t just for eating tacos and drinking tequila. Grab a gose (pronounced GOHZ’-uh) – a tart German-style wheat beer brewed with salt that often includes citrus and coriander – and have a fiesta.
1. Paloma Gose, the newest release from Schlafly‘s Cellar Selections, rocks characteristic Paloma cocktail notes of bright grapefruit and lime and finishes with a touch of salty complexity and coriander spice.
750-milliliter bottle on draft. Available at Schlafly Tap Room and Bottleworks
2. Levadura, an Oaxacan-style gose from Stillwater Artisanal, is built exactly like a margarita with fresh lime, agave syrup and sea salt. Try adding an ounce of tequila to this zesty brew that boasts a light body and citrus-forward flavors, a touch of balancing sweetness and a crisp, dry finish.
Available at Craft Beer Cellar
3. Effervescent Mother’s Lime Gose is stacked with vibrant, juicy lime notes and a wheat-forward breadiness. Carbonation drives the citrus and grain flavors across the palate, and the salt adds a dry finish that will leave you wanting to crush another.
Available at Beer Sauce Shop
4. Founders Green Zebra is a must for fans of melon in beer and watermelon Jolly Ranchers. This thirst-quenching tart brew exudes juicy watermelon notes, nuances of grain and just a subtle sweetness
Available at Fields Foods
5. OK, OK, you want your tequila. Boulevard Tequila Barrel Lime Gose took a siesta in a barrel that once housed the spirit, lending oak and vanilla notes to the juicy lime character and tang of this sour wheat style. This complex beer is beautifully balanced and a noteworthy addition to this Kansas City gem of a brewery.
Available at Total Wine and More
Katie Herrera is a longtime contributor to Sauce Magazine, account manager at Craft Republic and director of beer at STL Barkeep.
This article appears in Readers’ Choice 2018.